Preparation and properties for X-ray scintillation screen based on ZnO:In nanorod arrays

Abstract

X-ray scintillation screens as the core component of X-ray imaging detectors have widespread applications in the medical imaging, security inspection, high energy physics, radiochemistry, and so on. For a long time, the development of X-ray scintillation screen mainly focuses on improving the light yield in order to enhance its detection efficiency. However, a novel tendency has recently emerged for ultrafast time performance of the X-ray imaging detector. The indium doping zinc oxide (ZnO:In) with high radiation hardness, higher light yield(>10000 photons/MeV) and subnanosecond decay time is a promising scintillation material for ultrafast detections. In order to satisfy the requirements of X-ray scintillation screens with ultrafast and high-spatial-resolution in the existing and upcoming high energy physics experiments, the ZnO:In nanorod arrays have been prepared on a 100-nm-thick ZnO-seeded substrate by hydrothermal reaction method and then treated by hydrogen plasma in present work. The results of SEM demonstrate the average diameter and length of the ZnO:In nanorods are about 0.5 and 12 μm, respectively. The XRD shows the ZnO:In nanorods are highly aligned perpendicular to the substrate along <i>c</i>-axis direction. The X-ray excited luminescence spectra show that two luminescence bands are observed, i.e. an ultraviolet emission peak located at about 395 nm and a visible emission band at 450–750 nm. It is particularly important to point out that hydrogen plasma treatment can enhance the ultraviolet emission of ZnO:In nanorod arrays and suppress its visible emission. The reason is attributed to the formation of shallow donors through hydrogen entering the ZnO and the combination of V_O and O_i. In addition, the fluorescence decay times of the ultraviolet and visible emissions for the ZnO:In nanorod arrays are subnanosecond and nanosecond, respectively, satisfying the demand of the fast X-ray imaging. The spatial resolution of ZnO:In nanorod arrays has been characterized in X-ray imaging beamline at the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility. Under excitation of the X-ray beam with the energy of 20 keV, a system spatial resolution of 1.5 μm could be achieved by using an 12 μm thickness ZnO:In nanorod arrays as the scintillation screen, which is exceeded the highest level had ever been reported on ZnO:In nanorod arrays scintillation screen. In conclusion, this present work shows that it is a feasible solution for X-ray detection and imaging with high temporal and spatial resolution by using ZnO:In nanorod arrays as the X-ray scintillation screen.